SGS Life Science Services is pleased to announce that its facility in Chennai, India has received prequalified status from the World Heath Organization (WHO), effective January 17, 2011. WHO prequalification indicates that the laboratory has met established global quality guidelines on Good Practices for National Pharmaceutical Control Laboratories and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

Passing the WHO’s prequalification program also means that approved labs are registered on the WHO website as able to test and release life saving drugs treating diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and reproductive health medicines. “Receiving prequalification demonstrates our commitment to continually raising the standards of our laboratories”, said Ulrich Markens, Vice President Corporate Quality and Compliance for SGS Life Science Services. “Presently, only 19 laboratories worldwide are prequalified by the WHO and SGS is honored to be one of them.”

SGS began its Life Science Services operations in Chennai in 2005 to provide analytical support to the rapidly growing pharmaceutical industry in India. The laboratory continually works to improve the quality in its operations. It received ISO 17025 certification in 2005, is a GLP Certified Laboratory by National GLP Monitoring Authority of India and was inspected and registered with the US-FDA since 2007.

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognised as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 64,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,250 offices and laboratories around the world.